Reinventing Tradition
by Jennarei
Summary: When you have an inventor for a boyfriend, Valentine's Day isn't exactly normal...JayxNya


**Hey! I just typed this up in about an hour :/ I hope it's decent...anyways, I hope you guys had an awesome Valentine's Day filled with heart, smiles, and unicorns :D**

**ENJOY!**

Jay was faced with a dilemma.

A problem.

An obstacle.

The blue ninja slammed the white pencil down on his desk with a frustrated groan. He would never figure it out. The mechanics were too advanced, the design too sophisticated. He was used to building robots and gliders, not this!

"What seems to be the problem, Jay?" Zane asked, stepping into the 'workshop', his famous pink apron tied neatly around his torso. Jay could never understand why he wore it. Even if it wasn't pink, Zane never spilled anything, so what was the point? Jay ran an angry hand through his brown locks.

"It doesn't seem to be working! I swear, I've tried every combination I know- even some new ones I found from Julien, but none seem to work well enough! The movements are too jerky and rough." He gestured wildly at the seemingly random gears, wires and screws strewn willy-nilly on the wooden table. A blueprint sat half-buried under robotic parts, white pencil smudged and clearly erased and redone one too many times. Zane gingerly picked up the plans, eyebrows rising as his eyes scanned over the design.

"This is very impressive."

Jay scoffed. "Thanks, but it's not impressive if it doesn't work." He let his head drop to the table's surface, his shoulders drooping. Zane continued to quietly examine the blueprints, gears literally turning in his head, trying to think of a way to help his friend. After all, it was a beautiful sentiment.

"Perhaps if you take a look at my falcon..."

The lightning ninja's head snapped up, a hopeful smile lighting up his oil smudged face. "Really? You mean it?"

"Of course! Anything to help my brother." Zane smiled, gently rolling up the blue paper. Jay laughed and jumped up, collecting his pencils, more paper, and the wire skeleton of his invention. He shot out of the workshop with almost an unnatural speed, shouting an estatic "Thanks bro!" over his shoulder. Zane chuckled and looked at the several rejected early versions of his brother's latest creation. It was quite an imaginative and curious thing. Yet, it was completely sweet and innovative.

Nya was sure to love it.

Jay found the falcon resting on one of the sides of the Bounty, head diligently scanning the skies for trouble. He was a beautiful creation, every gear and cog in his body pure perfection. Jay couldn't wait to open him up. Yet, when he tried, the bird let out a frightning cry and took off, landing on the other side of the ship.

"Wha..?" Jay muttered, confused. The bird had never had an objection to being looked at before...he tried again, and again, the falcon shrieked and fled. This game of chase went of for the better part of an hour before Jay finally managed to grab a hold of it. The falcon refused to go down without a fight however, and wriggled in Jay's grasp.

"Would you hold still?!" Jay hissed, hugging the robotic falcon to his body. The bird cried in response and tried to bite the ninja's hand. "Ahh! Rotten bird!" he yelled as the falcon flew triumphantly down the hall. Jay raced after it, his speed helping him catch up to the dark falcon. "Get back here!" he yelled. "Stop! I need you! Halt! Woah! Cease!"

His words fell on deaf ears as the falcon continued to fly down the hall, searching for a way out. Until it ran smack dab into a door. It fell to the ground with a slight clang. Kai poked his head around the door, eyes confused. Then he saw the still form of Zane's falcon and panicked.

"Ah! Did I kill it?!" He stood, hands clutching at his spiky hair as Jay bent to pick up the robot. After a quick assessment, Jay shook his head.

"Nope! You just stopped it for me! Thanks Kai!" He beamed and jogged off towards his workshop, stunned bird tucked under one arm. Kai scratched his head.

"Um...you're welcome?"

That day, Jay worked almost nonstop on his newest invention, a sign warning whoever even thought about entering his workshop would get a bolt to the butt. Everyone stayed clear of him, not wanting a burned behind right before Valentine's Day. Nya stopped by a few times, intrigued by the buzzing, banging, clattering, and sawing noises emanating from the behind the wooden door. Every time, regardless what tactic she used, Jay would only crack open the door, graciously accept whatever sandwhich, lemonade, or cookie she had for him, and close himself back up in his little room. Needless to say, she was frustrated. He was building something and she wanted in!

"Come on, Jay, please!" she called for the umpteenth time that day.

"Sorry, Nya!" he would yell through the door, "You'll find out soon enough!"

Eventually, she decided to leave well enough alone. He obviously wasn't going to let her in on the project. What, was she not a good enough tinkerer to help? Well that was fine with her! No good ninja's always leaving her out of the loop...

She went to bed in a sour mood that night, irritated and offended that she was not a part of Jay's latest invention. She had begun to cherish the time they spent pouring over blueprints and plans, the jokes and tender moments shared over metal frames and sparks. Now he had cut her off. And right before the day for lovers too! Yes, Nya was mad. Her dreams that night consisted of robots and cars, mechs and exosuits. She vaguely remembered a rose or too thrown in there somewhere. But, what was the hope in that? Jay wasn't a particularly traditional guy. Nya was sure there would be no roses, chocolates, bears, or balloons waiting for her in the morning. Besides, he was busy with that stupid contraption...

That's what she told herself as she sleepily awoke to golden sunlight streaming through her window. The shafts of light created warm patterns on her sheets that she stretched and twisted to fit into. The warmth was welcome...what was that? A shine, a glitter, from the top of her dresser. The samurai slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and squinting. Yes, there was definitely something on her dresser that wasn't there the night before. Pushing aside her covers, she walked over to the strange object, shivering as her bare feet hit the cold floor.

It...it was a rose. Made of metal. Nya reached out, fingers lightly touching the cool iron. There was a note attached to it, a pure white card with sharp, blue letters scrawled across the surface. Whoever wrote it seemed to be eager to write it quickly, the letters flowing into each other with no break as if the writer had never bothered to lift the pen. Jay's writing. Her breath caught in her throat.

A flower as unique and brilliant as you.  
Happy Valentine's Day.  
Love, Jay

Her thin fingers fnally wrapped around the thin, smooth, elegant stalk of the rose, silver leaves glimmering in the morning light. At the top, a closed metal bud rested in a cradle of small, delicate leaves. It was beautiful! Her fingertips lightly brushed the top of the bud, and the petals reacted, slowly opening, a soft whirring emanating from the stalk. Nya gasped quietly as the petals finally stopped, revealing an intricate rose. The tips of the petals glowing an electric blue. It was brilliant, gorgeous, a sentiment and design so precious, that Nya felt her heart melt in her chest. Jay had outdone himself. The petals slowly closed, the glowing bloom returning to the silver bud once again. Nya set the flower down, a warm smile gracing her lips.

Jay had barely finished setting down the pancakes onto the dining table when two thin arms wrapped around his torso from behind, squeezing him gently. His heart skipped in his chest as she sighed, giggling as the breath left her lips.

"I take it you liked it?" he asked, intertwining his fingers with hers. He unwrapped her arms and turned around to face a happily tearful Nya. She beamed and laughed again, reaching up to rub her thumbs against his cheeks.

"I loved it." She then stood on her toes, meeting his lips in a gentle, loving kiss. Jay returned the affection, resting his hands on the small of her back. A warmth spread to the tips of his toes as her lips moved slowly, maddeningly against his own. Quite out of breath, she withdrew from the kiss and rested her forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you too." another kiss. This one a bit longer than the first. Their words lingered in the air. Neither had really said it before. Honestly, they never really thought they had to. The sentiments were just always there, a mutual affection that neither admitted aloud. Now, in the quiet morning, their hearts pounding at the speed of lightning, the couple smiled, breathless and overjoyed.

"Happy Valentine's Day..."

**Again, Happy Valentine's Day! And if there are any "forever alone-ers" out there (like me-self) happy singles day! ;)**


End file.
